Aperture-coupled microstrip patch antennas are desirable structures for use in wireless telecommunications. Their broad use is primarily due to ease of fabrication, low cost, and simplicity of design. These characteristics, combined with the straightforward integration with microstrip distribution networks, make them especially well suited for phased array applications.
High-gain omni-directional antennas find uses in several communications applications including those for small aerial vehicles. Several topologies for omni-directional radiators exist and include linear arrays using bifilar helical elements, periodic rod antennas, coaxial continuous transverse stub arrays (C-CTS), and patch arrays on a cylindrical body. These approaches typically suffer from beam-pointing variation over frequency, do not offer the capability for beam steering for attitude correction, and do not facilitate advanced beam-reconfiguration options such as eliminating coverage from certain sectors for jamming avoidance.